


Home will always be here

by miraculousghostspider



Category: Danny Phantom, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Promise, Reunions, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, barely there, but it's like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:14:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25807192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miraculousghostspider/pseuds/miraculousghostspider
Summary: In the quiet, after the world has fallen apart, Peter and Danny find each other again.
Relationships: Danny Fenton & Peter Parker, Danny Fenton & Tony Stark, Danny Fenton/Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 17
Kudos: 205





	Home will always be here

**Author's Note:**

> Kind of surprised it took me this long to write a post endgame fic. The tab for this fic has been sitting open, half-finished, on my computer for... at least a month, but now that I'm finally done with it I can finish up the other three one-shots I've started (I have actually no self-control).  
> Anyway, enjoy!

Danny glanced around the crowded airport without taking anything in, exhaustion tugging at his eyelids and making him want to pass out right then and there. He had been in the middle of science class when his head grew cloudy, then suddenly he was blinking to attention in the classroom that looked _very_ different, surrounded by kids he didn’t know. He had been the first to appear there, though moments later he had watched as dust collected to form other kids he knew.

The teacher had been in shock, clearly not knowing what to do in the situation. Thankfully, some of the students had been able to explain that they had been turned to dust by Thanos, an enemy of the Avengers, and had apparently been _dead_ for _five years._ He’d shared a look of shock and terror with Sam and Tucker, who both shared the class with him.

It had taken far too long in the ensuing panic for Danny to learn that Jazz and his father had survived while his mother had been “dusted” along with him. Half of the _entire world,_ the universe, in fact, had been killed, and Danny hadn’t been able to do anything about it. He hadn’t known that something was _wrong_ until he died. He did remember a sharp _burning_ feeling that probably came from being King of Ghosts, able to _feel_ intimately all of the deaths that came before his own.

A few hours after he came back, his phone (which was now five years out of date because it had _literally been five years oh god)_ pinged with a message from his boyfriend. It wasn’t until he saw it that the thought that Peter had been involved in the Avengers battle even crossed his mind. He had felt and tasted the bile rising up his throat as he waited for it to be something from the time he was dead, Peter’s final goodbye of sorts.

 _“I don’t have much time,”_ the recording began with. _“I don’t know if you saw the giant donut ship in New York or not, or if this will even_ reach _you, but,”_ he had stopped for a moment, taking in a shaky breath that Danny knew meant he was moments away from either a panic attack or bursting into tears. Likely both. _“I’m on it. Mr. Stark’s not happy I’m here, and I wouldn’t understand if I weren’t so incredibly grateful you’re not. Because I wouldn’t be able to take it if something happened to you._

 _“We’ll probably be fine. What am I even_ saying? _I’m with the_ Avengers, _of course we’ll be fine. But they don’t look entirely sure about our chances, and I know some people have died already. We met these alien people that called themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy, they’re_ awesome, _but anyway. I just wanted—if something happens to me, I need you to tell Aunt May and my friends. Please tell that I-I love them, and I don’t want them to miss me. I love you too, okay? So much._

 _“I have to go. We’re on another_ planet, _Danny. I wish you could see it, the stars are beautiful up here. I’m sorry. I love you.”_

Danny had swallowed back his fear about Peter and let his father coddle him and his mother, who hadn’t left each other’s sides since they’d reunited. There was a sense of familiarity in her, since she hadn’t changed while he could see how more white had crept into his father’s hair, a sign of all the time that had passed. Sam and Tucker had had to go back to their own families, obviously, and Jazz didn’t even live in Amity Park anymore, since, y’know, she was _twenty-two_ now.

After managing to get away from his family while they called Jazz (who was attempting to drive back at the time, an arduous task with the chaos going on in the world), he called Peter, unable to help the fear coiling in his gut at the thought that Peter might be dead, or five years older, or seriously injured.

_“Danny?”_

His throat felt hot and his eyes burned with tears. “Hi Peter,” he said awkwardly.

_“Oh thank god, you’re okay. Did you disappear too?”_

Danny was overcome with a sense of relief. “Yeah, I did. I just got your message.”

_“Oh yeah. I forgot about that, everything’s happened so fast. I was in the battle, you know.”_

Danny’s grip on the phone tightened and he scowled. “Remind me to punch you in the face next time I see you as payback for waiting until you were off the planet to try and tell me what was happening you _jerk.”_

 _“I didn’t want you to get_ hurt!”

“I wanted to be there for you, Peter. If I lost you . . .”

 _“Right,”_ Peter said, seeming to understand what he meant. _“I get it. I’m sorry. If it helps, it happened so fast I probably wouldn’t have been able to contact you even if I tried.”_

“I’m still punching you,” Danny promised, 100% serious.

Peter laughed lightly. _“As long as it means I get to see you soon. Mr. Stark’s in critical condition. He used the gauntlet, Danny. Dr. Banner—who’s apparently merged with the Hulk now or something?—he brought everyone back, but Tony’s the one who stopped Thanos.”_

“He’ll be okay,” Danny said confidently, unsure how he knew but absolutely _certain_ it was true. “I’m the King of the Dead and I can _promise_ you, he’ll be fine.”

 _“How can you_ know _that?”_ Peter said, obviously either crying or right on the brink of doing so. _“He_ was _dead for a moment there. I_ heard _his heart stop.”_

“I don’t know,” Danny admitted. “But everything’s going to be okay, Peter. I swear it.”

Now—over a week later—Danny had managed to catch a flight out to New York, after _Tony freaking Stark_ had insisted that Peter ask for anything he might want. (Peter _had,_ apparently, managed to dissuade him from sending out a private jet, which was both ridiculous (Danny _wanted_ to ride in a private jet, damn it) and didn’t fit what little Danny knew of Tony Stark from Peter—mostly that he was very _very_ extra).

Danny hadn’t been sleeping well, for obvious reasons. Not only was he dealing with his own trauma from the ordeal with the Snap, but he made Peter promise to call him every time he had a nightmare about Thanos’ attack, which was almost every night. (He knew, despite Peter never mentioning it, that on the nights he didn’t call, it was because Tony Stark got there first.)

“Danny!” he heard a familiar voice cry. He spun around, locking eyes with Peter as his face instantly lit up into a bright grin.

“Peter!” he called back, ignoring the looks other people were giving the two of them. He could see Aunt May (who insisted he call her that) and a man in a baseball cap and sunglasses that was obviously Tony Stark in a terrible disguise, both of them hanging back with their eyes on Peter.

Danny broke free of the crowds and set his bags down, leaving Peter to run the rest of the distance to him. He narrowed his eyes, though his smile didn’t fade, and Peter froze, pouting as he realized what was happening, though it was clear he didn’t really care.

And Danny punched him in the face.

“That’s for being a dumbass,” he snapped, scowling, not wanting to admit just how scared he’d been when he had thought Peter wasn’t coming back. Then he wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed him, careful not to aggravate his nose. He had been careful not to break it (he wasn’t _that_ mean, even if it would have healed in probably under a day), but it would still be sore for a little while.

Aunt May and Stark were staring at them in shock and mild horror. Danny just shrugged.

“He’ll be fine in a few hours.”

“Thanks, Danny,” Peter deadpanned, grinning despite himself.

Stark shook his head. “I don’t even want to know. Let’s go.”

The ride back into the city was spent with Danny and Peter chatting aimlessly, showing each other the _many_ memes that had been born in the past five years, and making bad puns. Stark (who was driving), kept glancing back at Peter in the rearview mirror and making the _most domestic_ face Danny had ever seen in his life, though Peter seemed oblivious, as usual. (Not that Danny was any better when it came to himself.)

“I’ve been _dying_ to show you the lab,” Peter said, dragging Danny through the halls by the arm, who gave him a dry look at the terrible pun that referenced both the Snap as well as Danny’s powers. At least it likely meant he was starting to get more comfortable.

“Oh!” Stark said, clapping as he thought of something, following behind as Danny checked out his lab (which was _incredibly_ extra). “Does he know?”

“What?” Peter asked, confused. “That I’m Spider-Man?”

Tony rolled his eyes. “That’s a yes then?”

“I’ve known longer than you have, bitch,” Danny interjected, raising an eyebrow at the billionaire.

“Did he just call me a bitch?” Stark asked, looking surprised and slightly impressed. He pointed between the three of them. “Kid, you’re not supposed to let him do that. That’s against the rules. What happened to the hero-worship?”

“You turned out to be lame,” Danny said, fighting to keep his expression neutral as Peter squawked out a _“Danny!”_ and Stark gaped.

“Don’t worry about it, Tony. That’s just Danny’s way of saying he likes you.”

“No,” Danny said quickly (maybe a little _too_ quickly). “That’s my way of saying _Peter_ likes you, so I’ll tolerate your presence.

Stark looked oddly touched at that, probably not convinced by Danny’s rebuttal, and Danny made a face at him, growing uncomfortable at all the emotions. (Wasn’t Tony Stark supposed to be, like, emotionally constipated? That was how Peter always described him, but Danny supposed it _had_ been five years for the man, even though it didn’t feel like it.)

Peter got distracted by some piece of tech that Danny had absolutely _zero_ chance of understanding, and Stark came over to stand beside him, likely for an interrogation.

“I haven’t seen him smile like this since before Thanos,” he said instead, as quiet as he could be. He was giving Peter a look softer than anything Danny had ever seen of the celebrity (softer than anything Danny had ever seen of _most_ people). “You’ve made him a lot happier just by being here.”

Danny shrugged, as though the words didn’t make his chest warm and give him a gooey feeling inside that he figured had something to do with the thought that it was obvious to the people around them just how much Peter loved him. “He makes me happier too,” he said, not caring enough to look to see Stark’s reaction. “Have you told him?”

“What are you talking about?” Stark said, giving Danny a look of such pure confusion that Danny actually believed he didn’t know.

Rolling his eyes, Danny explained, “He’s _obviously_ like a son to you, and I know he thinks of you as a father figure. But there’s no way he’d ever bring it up himself, so I’m asking you if _you’ve_ brought it up. Trust me on this one, no matter how obvious it seems, Peter will deny people actually care about him until his final breath.” Maybe not the best wording in the last sentence, judging by Stark’s wince, but it needed to be said.

“Peter—” the billionaire started, sighing as he paused to figure out what he wanted to say. “Peter’s one of the best things that ever happened to me. If it weren’t for him, I would still be stuck in this trap of self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. Instead, I’m married to the love of my life, I have a beautiful daughter, the Avengers aren’t at each other’s throats anymore. I don’t think he realizes just how much of an effect he’s had on me.”

“I’m pretty sure Peter changes the lives of everyone he meets,” Danny admitted. “I can’t even _begin_ to tell you how many people I’ve seen pining over him.” His lips curled in jealousy, despite the fact that he _knew_ Peter wouldn’t leave him (especially since the majority of the time he refused to believe those people were _actually_ flirting with him, despite how blatantly obvious some of them had been).

“Let me guess, he didn’t think they were actually flirting with him?”

Danny barked out an amused laugh as Stark instantly guessed his train of thought. He looked like _such_ a dad, what with his wide smile that accented the crow’s feet around his eyes and the loving way he looked at Peter.

“Yeah. I love him, obviously, but he can be oblivious as _fuck.”_

Stark blinked. “That’s one way to put it.”

“I can _hear_ you,” Peter said, rolling his eyes, though his head was ducked in an obvious attempt to hide his smile. He knew that Danny, at least, (and likely Stark as well) would remember how well he could hear, which meant they intended for him to hear it.

“This one time,” Danny said, acting as though he hadn’t heard him. “when we were kids, he tried to spray me with the hose—”

 _“No,”_ Peter said, eyes widening in horror as a grin spread across Stark’s face. “Danny, please, love of my life. _Don’t.”_ (Danny would wait until later to get all sappy about the “love of my life” thing.)

“He tried to spray me with the hose,” Danny continued, louder than before. “But it took the water a second to come out, so he turned it on his face to see, and he got _drenched._ ” Stark was obviously fighting back a laugh at this point. “His face was utterly _hilarious._ And this other time—”

“We’re-going-to-my-room-see-you-later-Mr.-Stark-bye,” Peter said hurriedly, grabbing Danny by the arm and yanking him away, face bright red.

“But Pete!” Stark began, a shit-eating grin on his face. “I didn’t tell him about that time—”

“We’re not _listening!”_ Peter shrieked, pressing the elevator button a dozen times in a row as though it would make the doors open quicker.

Danny chuckled at the relief that came over his face when the elevator doors closed, leaving them in silence. Peter turned his head and cracked a smile at the soft laugh.

“You know I love you despite the fact that you’re a dumbass, right?” he assured him, bumping his shoulder with his own to make it seem like a joke, though they both knew it was anything but.

Peter hummed quietly, lacing their fingers together and letting Danny run his thumb over his palm, knowing how soothing he found the action to be.

“You say that like you haven’t done just as much dumb shit as I have.”

Danny winked at him, not missing how his shoulders relaxed and his smile grew more real the longer they were together.

“Yeah, but no one here _knows_ the stupid shit I’ve done, so, therefore, it’s like it never even happened.”

“That’s a lie. _I_ know, and if you keep bringing up my embarrassing childhood stories I’ll tell them about that time you—”

Danny threw a hand over his mouth, shushing him dramatically.

“We swore we’d never speak of that day again,” he said solemnly, fighting back a grin at Peter’s amused snort at the dramatics.

“Danny?” Peter said, turning serious in an instant.

“What?” Danny asked, instantly concerned.

“Thanks. For, y’know, being here.”

Danny squeezed his hand once, grounding him as he looked about to get sucked into memories of everything that had gone wrong. “Of course. I want you to be happier, and if that means me flying out to New York…” he shrugged.

“It’s not that I’m not happy here!” Peter was quick to protest. “It’s just that… everything here just reminds me of what’s changed. Yeah, maybe May was snapped too, but that means we don’t have our apartment anymore, and Tony keeps looking at me like it’s a miracle that I’m even here, and yeah, maybe it is, but it just reminds me that—” he took a deep breath, and the way his voice cracked made Danny’s heart _break._ “Everything’s different. He’s had five years to move on and make a life—”

“A life that he wanted _you to be a part of,_ Peter. Yeah, he probably learned how to be happy without you, I would be more concerned if he _hadn’t,_ but guess what? Just because he didn’t necessarily _need_ you in order to be happy doesn’t mean he didn’t miss you or want you. You heard him in there. He _loves_ you, Peter. Five years didn’t change that.”

Danny smiled at him, and, though it was weak, Peter smiled back.

“Thanks,” he whispered, soundlessly. His eyes lit up, the heavy mood dissipating. “Oh my god, you gotta meet Pepper. And _Morgan!_ God, she’s the cutest little girl I’ve ever seen in my _life._ She calls me her big brother and it’s _so_ adorable, Danny, you can’t even imagine it.”

“That sounds great,” Danny said, warmth filling his chest at how happy Peter was. Maybe he had doubts every once and a while, but they were obviously his family, no matter if they would admit it or not.

He leaned in closer to Peter as the elevator doors finally opened, taking a deep breath and trying not to focus on everything that still needed taken care of. Right now was for them. There was no need to rush. After all, they had all the time in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm... not entirely happy with this one, but that might be because I've been staring at it for weeks waiting for it to pop out of my head. But I've edited it way too much already, so I hope you enjoyed it anyway. :) Thank you to everyone who leaves kudos and comments, reading them always makes my day!  
> On a separate note, I got a tumblr! I know nothing about it or how to work it, but you can find me [here!](https://miraculousghostspider.tumblr.com/)


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